Writing Tutors - Writing Help With Raleigh NC

Writing Tutors - Writing Help With Raleigh NCWriting tutor Raleigh NC can help you achieve your goal of getting your career in writing. Whether you want to work as a journalist, a teacher, or a writer, it is always best to be prepared for whatever the future may hold. The best way to prepare for the future is by finding a tutor.Writing help is available with a wide variety of tutors in all areas of writing. Whether you want to write poetry, screenplay, a novel, or an essay, you will have tutors who will make sure that you are competent. Regardless of whether you are young or old, you will find tutors in Raleigh NC who specialize in various writing areas. Because they are specialists, they understand how to help you reach your goal of writing.Writing Tutors will help you learn all the details that you need to know about how to write your best work. Reading material, acquiring skills, and doing practice writing are all part of the tutoring process. You do not have to worry about anythi ng else. Although you can get help from other people if you don't have time to devote to your writing, a writer can get help from his or her own resources. As long as you find the right tutors, you will be able to write your best work.They can provide you with resources such as novels, articles, or short stories, which can be used to expand your reading material, improving your writing skills. Getting the right books is essential for anyone who wants to succeed in writing. Tutors can help you find the right books, making sure that you get all the information you need.In addition to reading material, tutors can help you improve your writing. They can tell you how to write character-driven stories and how to make those stories flow. Sometimes, this means that you need to change the characters slightly, so that the story flows properly.When it comes to writing, the best way to determine what kind of writing will suit you is to seek advice from tutors. They can tell you how best to appr oach a subject, because they have the experience. You might need to look at their writing samples, and ask them questions about how they approached the topic.Writing tutors Raleigh NC can help you with any writing project, no matter how big or small. Find one today, and see how he or she can help you.

Why You Should Opt to Take SAT Subject Tests

Why You Should Opt to Take SAT Subject Tests Stand out from the College Admission Crowd by taking the SAT Subject Tests If you're preparing for college admission you may be wondering if you should take any of the available SAT Subject Tests. These tests are designed for you to showcase your achievement and ability in specific subject areas while enhancing your college application portfolio. When you are applying to colleges you want your portfolio to speak for itself and paint a picture of your strengths, assets, and abilities. These tests help you do just that. Basics of the SAT Subject Tests: Each Subject Testis anhour in length and is based on contentpreviously covered in high school courses. There are 20 different Subject Tests representing fiveacademic areas: history, English, foreign languages, science, andmathematics. The Subject Tests are administered six times per yearin October, November, December, January, May, and June. Not all exams areoffered on all testing dates. It's best to plan ahead to ensure that youare able to take the exams of your choosing. You can sit for three Subject Tests on a single day.You are not allowed to take a Subject Test the same day you take the SATexam. The Language with Listening exams are onlygivenin the first testing hour of each testing day. You can only complete onelistening test per exam date. The professional tutors at Huntington Learning Centerare available to help you prepare for the Subject Tests. We will determineyour initial level of mastery and then work to ensure you are progressingthrough all of the content necessary for success on the exam. It is vital to understand how sitting for the Subject Testscan impact your college applications. Taking these exams allows you to: Stand out from the crowdThe Subject Tests provide youthe opportunity to differentiate yourself from other candidates. Evencolleges and universities that don't require the Subject Tests will likely use the results to make admission decisions. Set yourself apart from thecompetition by showcasing your knowledge and ability. For example, if youare applying to Northwestern University and want to major in Chemical Engineering demonstrating mastery on the Math Level 2 exam and theChemistry exam will provide evidence of your achievement and potential. Showcase your unique abilitiesIf you are an ESL or international student the Subject Tests allow you toshine on exams that don't heavily rely on English language mastery such as science, math, and foreign languages. You can also utilize the SubjectTests to demonstrate your multilingual skills or complete foreign languagecompetency requirements. Huntington Learning Centers offers personalizedtutoring programs for a wide range of Subject Tests. We will create acustomized tutoring plan that uniquely matches your strengths and areas ofneed. Since no two students are alike no two tutoring programs are alikeeither. Provide evidence for your homeschool educationBecause homeschool curriculaare incredibly varied and often designed to meet individual needs, theSubject Tests are an excellent opportunity to add insight to youreducation. Colleges will get a better picture of your education,achievement, and ability while you discover your mastery levels comparedto standardized expectations. Get a jump start on college coursesThe Subject Tests are oftenused to place students in college courses. By taking these tests you may have the opportunity to test out of introductory courses, earn collegecredit, and satisfy basic program requirements. The University of Texas isone college that uses the Subject Tests to determine college credit. Once a student is accepted at the University of Texas the Subject Test scoresare evaluated based on program requirements to help determine placementand possible credit. Paint a complete picture of yourselfYour high school transcriptonly tells the story of courses completed in school. But what abouteverything you learned in other settings? Enrichment programs, distancelearning courses, and self-study will likely not appear on your transcriptbut have an amazing impact on your knowledge and ability. Use the SubjectTests to display additional competency not attained in school. Meet program requirementsSome university programs require applicants complete one or more Subject Tests as part of theirportfolios. As you are compiling your list of possible colleges payattention to the requirements. Plan ahead to take these exams so they canbe included in your application.

GCSE Poem Analysis The Yellow Palm by Robert Minhinnick

GCSE Poem Analysis The Yellow Palm by Robert Minhinnick English Literature GCSE Poem Analysis: The Yellow Palm by Robert Minhinnick What is it about? The poem is a colourful but sensitive account of various sights in Baghdad, each affecting to the poet, who travelled there in the late 1990s.   It describes the results of violence and implies a dreadful explosion without directly showing the reader. The Yellow Palm by Robert Minhinick As I made my way down Palestine Street I watched a funeral pass - all the women waving lilac stems around a coffin made of glass and the face of the man who lay within who had breathed a poison gas. As I made my way down Palestine Street I heard the call to prayer and I stopped at the door of the golden mosque to watch the faithful there but there was blood on the walls and the muezzin’s eyes were wild with his despair. As I made my way down Palestine Street I met two blind beggars And into their hands I pressed my hands with a hundred black dinars; and their salutes were those of the Imperial Guard in the Mother of all Wars. As I made my way down Palestine Street I smelled the wide Tigris, the river smell that lifts the air in a city such as this; but down on my head fell the barbarian sun that knows no armistice. As I made my way down Palestine Street I saw a Cruise missile, a slow and silver caravan on its slow and silver mile, and a beggar child turned up his face and blessed it with a smile. As I made my way down Palestine Street under the yellow palms I saw their branches hung with yellow dates all sweeter than salaams, and when that same child reached up to touch, the fruit fell in his arms. Overview Although the poet says he travels down the street, really we see a parade of characters come past us: a funeral, the faithful responding to the muezzin’s call, ex-soldiers begging for money, the river, a missile and a beggar child.   The missile must explode, but we only know because of the verb ‘fell’ as the dates collapse into the outstretched arms of the beggar.   The poet hides the violence with the picturesque scene â€" but not entirely. Form and Structure The poem is written in six stanzas of six lines, in ballad metre.   The rhyme pattern (which can be notated xaxaxa) is an extended version of simple four-line ballad, which was originally a folk-poem form, but Minhinnick is following in the footsteps of poets like Wordsworth and Auden and many others who have chosen to use the strongly rhythmical pattern to tackle serious subjects.   By doing so in six-line stanzas he has a little more time to develop each image, while still staying true to form and changing the focus regularly. There is a very strong rhythm to the form, with four stressed beats in the first of each two lines and three in the second, leaving a pause that readers or listeners associated with ballad form.   This means that although when read aloud the poem might go faster or slower, it won’t substantially change the emphasis a reader places on the words.   Sometimes there are conflicts with the natural stresses in words, when the rhythmic scheme (the metre) wants us to stress them one way and their normal pronunciation prefers another, such as ‘dinars’ and ‘beggars’.   However, this uncertainty challenges each reading to be thoughtful and considerate of the meaning of the words when perfectly regular verse would not. Rhyme is very important in ballad verse and it’s worth looking at the patterns the poet creates.   In order, the rhyming words of each stanza are ‘pass, glass, gas’; ‘prayer, there, despair’; ‘beggars, dinars, wars’; ‘Tigris, this, armistice’; ‘missile, mile, smile’; ‘palms, salaams, arms’.   The strongest rhyming of the three is arguably the last, meaning that the poem ends with a strangely warm and comforting group of words, quite at odds with the violence unleashed by the explosion of the missile. [If you are a northerner and pronounce ‘pass’ and ‘glass’ with the same short ‘a’ as ‘gas’, then the first trio really rhyme very strongly indeed, which would work to establish the regularity of the verse form.] ‘Tigris, this, armistice’ are a diverse group of words, including one of the very few proper nouns in the poem and coupling it with an abstract noun of particular intangibility.   No-one can touch an ‘armistice’ and it is even hard for troops to maintain one.   In contrast, the wide Tigris has been written of and spoken of for centuries: its existence cannot be in question. Language We’ve already begun to consider the words Minhinnick chooses, so now we might focus on the strongest of his word pictures.   The dates, ‘sweeter than salaams’, mix a literal sweetness of the fruit with the metaphorical sweetness of the welcome the poet has found in Baghdad.   The smile of the beggar child with which he ‘blesses’ the passing cruise missile shows how innocent he is, and how undeserving of suffering. The ‘cruise missile, / a slow and silver caravan / on its slow and silver mile’ has a really sinister air when described like this.   ‘Slow’ is of course impossible for a flying weapon, even though the poet repeats it.   Perhaps he is thinking about the way time seems to slow when we see something awful like a bomb about to hit...   Giving the missile possession of the mile by the little word ‘its’ also gives the weapon a life of its own.   We have to ask why ‘silver’?   The missile might be silver, but the mile it has travelled...   Unless that route has been marked with a streak of fast-moving metal, or perhaps if that silver has again been transferred in our mind.   It might be tempting to say that this is ‘just poetry’, but the power of this poetry is that it sparks a hundred other ideas and thoughts in our head.   And to call the missile a ‘silver caravan’ is a dreadful joke: it doesn’t bring prosperity, but pain and grief.   It might have been expensiv e and valuable, but nobody wants it to arrive at the market on Palestine Street.   The people there have already seen enough suffering. Need an extra hand with some English? Why not book a GCSE English tutor to come to your home from the Tutorfair website? More GCSE poem analyses: Praise Song for My Mother, Nettles, My Last Duchess, and Medusa Check out more  Tutorfair blogs  to support your GCSE revision. New Maths 9-1 GCSE Five Strategies to improve Academic Performance

Rod Blagojevich Not Leaving Jail Early

Rod Blagojevich Not Leaving Jail Early Photo Via: http://chicagotonight.wttw.com Blagojevich’s defense was an apology, as well as a claim to being a “changed man” and a “model prisoner” during his sentence to date. Still, Judge Zagel imposed the same sentence originally given back in 2011. He claims, “I do not doubt that he is a loving father and that his children miss him deeply in his absence, but as I said four years ago, the fault lies in the governor.” Blagojevich, now 59 years old, will now be forced to finish out his sentence through May 2024. After the court adjourned, Amy gestured towards Zagel’s bench and claimed, “He stole my childhood!” Patti spoke with anger to reporters as well, claiming “Quite frankly, I’m dumbfounded and flabbergasted. This was unusually cruel and heartless and unfair … Somehow, we will get through this. We love Rod. And we’ll be here for him as we continue to fight.” So what is this long sentence being served for? Back in 2011 Blagojevich was convicted of misusing his powers for multiple different reasons. The most notable was his attempt to sell a U.S. Senate seat Barack Obama’s in 2008 when he was elected president. During the initial trial, the jury was deadlocked on all but one count. The conviction came less than a year later. An appeals court threw out five counts against Blagojevich last year on technicalities, though they still referred to the evidence against him as “overwhelming” and stated his sentence was completely within reason. Though it was predicted Zagel would shave a year or two off of this sentence, on Tuesday, he completely put these ideas to rest. According to Jeffery Cramer, a former federal prosecutor, “In the end, Judge Zagel remained steadfast in his view of the crimes and this defendant.” This is frustrating for Blagojevich, especially since he’s waited nearly four and a half years for this day in court. Blagojevich’s lawyer, Leonard Goodman, told the judge that the remaining charges against Blagojevich were “significantly different” and that he never profited, despite his attempts. According to Goodman, “we believe he is ready to come home.” Goodman asked for the sentence to be lessened to five years. His daughters also made their pleas, appealing to an emotional side. According to Annie, “I almost don’t want to grow up because I want to wait for him to come home.” Amy, however, is already in college, which she alluded to in her plea. She said it “kills” her father that he can’t meet the new people in her life. She says, “the longer my father is gone, the more and more estranged my sister and I become from him.” Blagojevich was given 15 minutes for remarks, during which he apologized, but didn’t state the crimes for which he was convicted. He said, “I recognize it was my actions and my words that led me here. This can be a beginning to make amends for the past.” Prosecutors, however, claimed the ex-governor hadn’t changed at all. They claim he never took responsibility, and his actions prove nothing has changed. According to Attorney Debra Bonamici, “As long as the defendant is unable or unwilling to accept responsibility for what he actually did and what he actually meant when he did it, there can be no rehabilitation.” According to Zagel, “He sees himself as less morally culpable, but I don’t draw such a clear moral distinction. As in many cases, political and personal gains were very much intermingled here.” After the hearing, Blagojevich conveyed his disappointment at the verdict to reporters. Despite a large show of familial support and the reading of letters written by prisoners that befriended Blagojevich during his sentence, the ex-governor ultimately failed to show any tangible change especially in his inability to address his charges head-on and accept his responsibility. However, this technically isn’t the end. According to Goodman, he could still appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court at this point; however, they have already declined to hear the case in March so it’s unlikely they’re going to change their minds now. Ultimately, saying that you’re reformed apologizing with meaninglessness isn’t going to get you out of jail. So if, by some miracle, the Supreme Court picks up his case, Blagojevich is going to need a serious change of heart, or he’s likely going to serve out the entirety of his 14-year sentence.

Teach Away Telegram - September 2011

Teach Away Telegram - September 2011 In the September issue of the Teach Away Telegram, we celebrate the upcoming World Teachers' Day! We also examine the professional development options available to teachers overseas, and consider whether or not it's wise to bring a pet with you when teaching abroad.We hope you're having a great month, and we hope to hear from you soon!Happy reading! - The Teach Away TeamIn this issue:World Teachers' DayTeaching Overseas and Professional DevelopmentTaking Your Pets OverseasWorld Teachers' DayOctober 5, 2011 marks the 18th year of World Teachers’ Day. This day, organized by Education International (EI) and recognized by UNESCO, aims to support both teachers and students to ensure future generations benefit from the best education possible. Every year, EI promotes public awareness campaigns that stress valuable contributions made by teachers, while also encouraging international standards for the teaching profession. This year, their focus is on gender equality for teachers.Inequality is an issue that needs to be acknowledged by both female and male teachers. Some teachers in Western countries may not be fully aware of equality in the workplace in non-Western countries. Countries, like the UAE, have gender-segregated schools, where teachers are also segregated into the appropriate school. As well, some countries in Asia hold male teachers in higher regard than female educators. Of course, much of this is culturally fuelled, and imposing change has to be done delicately and respectfully.Teach Away prepares and informs its teachers as much as possible about such cultural differences prior to teachers' departure to work overseas. Whether it is how gender roles are viewed within the workplace in a particular country, or how students are segregated, Teach Away recognizes that not all of its departing teachers are familiar with these differences. For more information on such differences in a particular country, it’s best to conduct some research using resources such as Teach Away’s staff, or the Teach Away Facebook page.The World Teachers' Day website is another valuable resource. Although connected with numerous international teacher organizations, the day is yet to be officially recognized and celebrated around the world. Currently, over 100 countries observe World Teachers’ Day, and we would like to wish you a happy World Teachers' Day, no matter where you teach.Teaching Overseas and Professional DevelopmentProfessional development is an important part of a career in education. Having the opportunity to learn about the latest educational research findings, reflect on one’s practice, and broaden one’s repertoire of teaching techniques is imperative for successful educators.When taking on an international teaching position, teachers still have plenty of options for keeping up their PD:1. Resources and Events Offered by the EmployerWhether you are teaching in a public school setting, a private international school, or in a private lang uage school, many employers are offering professional development options to their staff in order to encourage effective teaching practice. Some schools offer PD days, similar to PD programs delivered by many school boards and districts in Western countries. Other schools will offer the opportunity to enrol in ongoing teacher training sessions or periodic seminars, offered outside of classroom hours.2. Online ResourcesFor licensed/certified teachers, there are options for taking more teacher training courses online in order to obtain more qualifications or upgrade existing certifications. Other great online resources include signing up for educational newsletters, joining online communities geared towards sharing resources and ideas, and subscribing to professional development mailing lists.3. Reflective PracticeReflecting on one’s teaching is a crucial part of improving and growing as an educator. Not only is it important to make time for reflection, but teachers working in a new location, unfamiliar school setting, or in a new role should document their time abroad for future reflection. Teaching abroad gives teachers first-hand experience with other cultures and traditions, allowing teachers professional and personal growth that will enrich their teaching abilities.  Taking Your Pets OverseasA common question for teachers going overseas is whether or not they are able to bring pets with them. Since pets are often considered a part of the family, many teachers are eager to bring Barkley or Mr. Whiskers along with them to the country where they will be living and teaching for the next 1-2 years. But is it wise to bring your animal companions with you?Teach Away encourages teachers going overseas to carefully consider a few factors when thinking about bringing a pet overseas. The first factor is cost â€" transporting a pet overseas and meeting all of the customs regulations (which can include updating shots, multiple vet visits, and quarantining your pet) ca n be quite expensive, depending on each country’s specific requirements for bringing a pet with you.The second factor is time, and your pet’s health â€" since many countries require that your pet be quarantined, and since long-distance travel can be anxiety-inducing for animals, putting a pet through the process of traveling and subsequently being separated from you can be very difficult.Finally, an important factor to consider is the availability of pet services where you will be living. While vets and pet supply stores might be common in North America, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, finding dog food or cat litter can be a challenge all its own for teachers in China or Malaysia. Finding the proper supplies and care for your pet might be very difficult, and if you are transporting a dog to an extremely hot climate (i.e. the Middle East), you will want to be sure you have the resources necessary to keep your pet healthy.Teach Away strongly advises that teachers find a trusted friend or family member to watch over their pets while they are teaching overseas, for the health of the animal, and for the well-being of everyone involved.

How to Naturally Learn a Language Like a Child

How to Naturally Learn a Language Like a Child How Do Children Learn Language? 4 Big Takeaway Lessons for Language Learners Hey, guys. Remember that viral YouTube video  â€œCharlie bit my finger”?It made the rounds online a few years ago and those adorable brothers became instant internet sensations.If you havent seen it, here’s what happened:Harry, the older brother placed his finger in Charlie’s mouth, and thenwell, just click the darn link and see for yourself.Cute, right?Now, can we utilize the video for some language learning lessons?Of course we can!Let me ask you a language question: how does one go from being a Charlie, the baby brother on the left, to being a Harry?In other words, how does one go from being a total newb, whose linguistic skills end with smiling and biting, to being a fluent speaker whose English is marked by appropriate diction, golden grammar and a killer accent?Normal, everyday children make this  amazing  progress in the span of about 20 months.This brings us to the question, which is also the title of  this post: How do children learn language?And what lessons can  fore ign language learners get from these precious children?Well deal with those great questions  in this post.First, were going to trace a babys  journey from babbling newborn to kindergartner. Along the way, well note the milestones of language development  along the way.In part two of the post, well crystallize the lessons from part one and use them to help adults learn a foreign  language.Sounds good?Okay, let’s go. How Do Children Learn Language? 4 Big Takeaway Lessons for Language LearnersHow do children do it? Let’s look at the issue in finer detail.  The Developmental Stages Their MilestonesPre-birthWe used to think that language learning began at the moment of birth. But scientists in Washington, Stockholm and Helsinki discovered that fetuses are actually listening inside the womb.They gave mothers a recording of made-up words to play during the final weeks of pregnancy. The babies heard the pseudo-words around 50-71 times while inside their mother’s womb. After they we re born, these babies were tested. By hooking them up to an EEG, scientists were able to see images of the babies’ brains when the made-up words were played.To their astonishment, the babies remembered and recognized the words that were presented  when they were in the womb.You know what this suggests, right?It points to pre-natal language learning.It turns out, the first day of learning language isnt when one is born, but 30 weeks into the pregnancy when babies start to develop their hearing ability. So be careful what you say around a pregnant woman, ok? Somebody’s listening.0-6 MonthsNewborn babies are keen listeners in their environments. They particularly like to listen to the voice of their mother and they quickly differentiate it from other voices. They also learn to recognize the sounds of her language from a foreign one.Baby communication centers on expressing pain and pleasure. And if you listen very carefully, youll notice that babies have different types of cries for different needs. A cry for milk is different from a cry for a new diaperâ€"although a flustered first-time father might not  hear any difference.Around the 4th month, babies engage in “vocal play” and babbles unintelligible soundsâ€"including those that begin with the letters M, P and B. (This is when mommy swears that she heard baby say “mama.”)6-12 MonthsThis is the peek-a-boo stage.Babies pay attention and smile when you call them by name.They also start responding to “Hi!” and “Good morning.”At this stage, babies continue babbling and having fun with language. But this time, their unintelligible expressions have put on a certain kind of sophistication. They seem to be putting words together. You couldve sworn she was telling you something.It will actually be around this time when babies learn their first words (“no,” “mama,” “dada” and so on).By the 12th month, youll have that nagging feeling that she understands more than she lets on. And you would be right. Babies, although they cant speak much, recognize a lot. They begin to recognize key words like “cup,” “ball,” “dog” and “car.”And on her first birthday, shell definitely learn what the word “cake” means.  1-2 Years OldThis is the “Where’s-Your-Nose? stage.Babies learn to differentiate and point to the different parts of their bodies. Theyll also be very receptive to queries like “where’s daddy?” and requests like “clap your hands” or give me the book.As always, her comprehension goes ahead of her ability to speak. But in this stage, shell be learning even more words. Her utterances will graduate into word pairs like “eat cake,” “more play” and “no ball.”This is also the time when she loves hearing those sing-along songs and rhymes. And guess what? Shell never tire of these, so be prepared to listen to her favorite rhymes over and over and over again.  2-4 Years OldThere will be a tremendous increase in learned words at this sta ge. She now seems to have a name for everythingâ€"from the cups she uses to her shoes and toys. She gains more nouns, verbs and adjectives in her linguistic arsenal.Her language structure becomes more and more complicated. Her sentences get longer and her  grammar mistakes get slowly weeded out. This time, she can express statements like “Im hungry mommy” or “my friend gave me this.”Shell  start to get really talkative and ask questions like, “where are we going, daddy?”By this time, youll begin to suspect that shes preparing to ask ever more difficult questions.The child has learned the language and has become a  native speaker.4 Big Takeaway Lessons  for Foreign Language LearnersWeve just gone over how babies progress to acquire their first language.Is there something in this process that adult language learners can emulate in their quest to learn foreign languages? Well, as it turns out, there is.Understanding this  early childhood learning process has major implicati ons for adult language learners.In this part of the post, were going to peek behind the curtain and look even deeper into how children learn languages to reap 4 vital lessons.Each one of these lessons is an essential part of linguistic success.If you wanna know how babies go from goo-goo gaa-gaa to  â€œMom, will you please buy me this remote-controlled toy airplane?” then please read on.1.  The Centrality of ListeningWeve learned in the previous section that listening comes very early in the language acquisition process. Babies get a masterclass on the different tones, rhythms and sounds of a language even before they see the light of day.Without listening, theyd have no building blocks from which they can build their own repertoire of sounds.Listening is so important for language acquisition that babies don’t fully develop their language capabilities without the ability to hear. Thus we have the deaf-mute pairing. How can one learn to speak when one cant even hear others or one self doing it?In addition, children who suffer hearing problems early in life experience delays in their expressive and receptive communication skills. Their vocabulary develops slower and they often have difficulty understanding abstract words (eg. extreme, eager and pointless). Their sentences are also shorter and simpler.In general, the greater the hearing loss, the poorer the children do in academic evaluations.Listening is that central to language.Its the first language skill humans develop.And yet, how many language programs pound on the issue of listening as a central skill, as opposed to grammar or vocabulary?Listening is a deceptive, isnt it? It seems like nothings happening. Its too passive an activity, unlike speaking. When speaking you actually hear what was learned. The benefits of listening are initially unheard.Contrary to common belief, listening can be an intensely active activity.So as a foreign  language learner, you need to devote time to actively listen to your target language. Don’t just play those podcasts passively in the background. Actively engage in the material. Don’t multitask if at all possible. Sit down and dont moveâ€"like a baby who hasnt learned how to walk.Take every opportunity to listen to the language as spoken by native speakers. When you watch a movie or a language learning video,  for example, dont just focus on the visual stimulation. Listen for the inflections, tones and rhythms of words.It may not look like much but, yes, listening is that powerful.2. The Primacy of Making MistakesListening to a 1-year-old talk is such a delight. Theyre so cute and innocent. Their initial statements betray a string of misappropriated vocabulary, fuzzy logic and grammar violations.When a 1-year-old points to a dog and says  â€œmeow,” we find it so cute. When his older sister says, “I goed there today,” we dont condemn the child. We instead correct her by gently saying, “No Sally, not goed. Went!”We arent as kind to adult s. We’re even worse to ourselves.Ever since we learned in school that making mistakes means lower test scores, we dreaded making them. Mistakes? Bad. And we carry over this fear when were learning a foreign  language as adults.That’s why, unless were 100% sure of its correctness, we dont want to blurt out a single sentence in our target language. First we make sure that the words are in their proper order, the verbs are in the proper tense and agree with the subject in number and gender.Now something tells me that a 10-month-old has no problems committing more mistakes in one sentence than she has words. In fact, she probably won’t admit that there’s something wrongâ€"or ever know  that somethings wrong. She just goes on with her life and continues listening.Why dont we follow this spirit of a child?We already know that it works because the kid who once exclaimed, “my feets hurt,” is now galloping towards a degree in Sociology.As a foreign  language learner, one of the t hings you need to make peace with is the fact that you’re gonna make mistakes. It comes with the territory and youre gonna have to accept that.Make as many mistakes as you can. Make a fool out of yourself, like a 2-year-old, and laugh along the way. Pay your dues. And if youre as diligent correcting those mistakes as you are making them, soon enough youll be on your way to fluency.3. The Joy of RepetitionAround 6-12 months, playing peek-a-boo with your daughter  never gets old. She always registers genuine surprise every time you reveal yourself. And she’d laugh silly all dayâ€"all because of a very simple game.And remember around 1-2 years old when babies can’t get enough of those sing-songy rhymes? They wanted you to keep pressing the “replay” button while watching their favorite cartoon musical on YouTube. You were wondering when they were gonna get sick of it.But lo and behold, each time was like the first time. They werent getting sick of it. In fact, it was getting m ore exciting for them.Repetition. It’s a vital element of learning.  If there’s one reason why babies learn so fast, it’s because they learn stuff over and overâ€"to the point of overlearning.Adults never have the patience to overlearn a language lesson, to repeat the same lesson over and over without feeling bored to tears. Adults quickly interpret this as being stuck. This lack of forward motion is promptly followed by the thought that time is being wasted. They think they should press quickly on to the next lesson. Which they do, to the detriment of their  learning.We repeat a vocabulary word 3x and expect it to stay with us for lifeâ€"believing it will now be  saved in our long-term memory. Quite unrealistic isn’t it?In the prenatal experiment where made-up words were played to babies still in the womb, each word was heard by the baby at least 50 times. (Is it really a wonder then that  the baby, when tested, recognized the words?)Repetition is vital to learning. In fact , many apps take the concept further and introduce the idea of Spaced Repetition. To find out more about this hyper-effective learning method, click here.Unless youre a genius with an eidetic memory, repetition will be one of your most important allies in the quest for foreign  language mastery.Repetition can take the form of replaying videos, rereading words, rewriting vocabulary, re-listening to podcasts and re-doing games and exercises.Keep on repeating until it becomes a habit.  Because thats what a language ultimately is.4.  The Importance of ImmersionImmersion can actually push your brain to process information in the same way native speakers do. And is there anything more immersive than a baby being born and experiencing the world by observation?Think about what the baby is experiencing. Shes like an Englishman suddenly being dropped in the middle of China without access to the internet.Everything is new.So you use your innate abilities to make generalizations, read context, listen to native speakers and imitate how they speak.Everything is on the line. Youve got to learn how to communicate fast, otherwise you wont get to eatâ€"even when youre sitting at a Chinese restaurant. It’s a totally immersive experience where youre not learning a language just for kicks or for your resume. You’re doing it for your very survival. (That takes care of the “motivation” part of your learning.)There’s nothing fake about a child learning a language. It’s a total immersive and authentic experiencesâ€"all their early language lessons are learned in a meaningful social context. I have yet to meet a baby who learned his first language by enrolling in a class.For the adult language learner, immersion can be experienced remotely.  One way of achieving immersion is by getting exposed to as many  language learning videos as possible.FluentU is, by far, the best source of language learning videos on the internet.Youll get a chance to watch authentic video content th at native speakers  actually watch  on the regular, like trailers for The Hunger Games, vintage Volkswagen commercials, hot music videos, funny YouTube clips and much, much more.FluentU can make  different learning experiences and contexts come alive so you don’t have to fly to a country thousands of miles away just to get the immersion that’s necessary for language learning. Its not just about listening and watching either, FluentUs learn mode  will help you put new language lessons into practice with great tools like multimedia flashcards, interactive subtitles and running vocabulary lists.So, there you go!Who knew a little girl  could teach us so much about learning a foreign  language?Now its officially time to put these lessons into practice: (1) Listen, (2) don’t be afraid to make mistakes, (3) repeat everything and (4) immerse yourself in your target language.Whether its French, Spanish, Japanese, Korean or Russian, if you follow the path that the babies have laid out f or you, youll be speaking that target language like the natives in no time!

Teach Away Telegram - November 2011

Teach Away Telegram - November 2011 Is it November already? This month’s issue of the Teach Away Telegram discusses the importance of finding helpful resources while you are teaching overseas and the numerous benefits of volunteering abroad!Things can be pretty hectic as the year comes to an end, so we encourage you to take a break and relax with this month’s Telegram. We hope you enjoy it! And, as always, feel free to drop us a line â€" we look forward to hearing from you soon!Happy reading! - The Teach Away TeamIn this issue:Great Resources for Teaching AbroadThree Enticing Reasons to Volunteer OverseasA New Look volunteering overseas offers options to both groups. For those who are not sure whether they will enjoy the experience of living and working overseas, a short-term volunteer contract is a great way to get your feet wet! Many volunteer programs also include plenty of free time, meaning you have the chance to explore your surroundings.Learn about more great reasons to volunteer overseas.A New Look & New F eatures at Teachaway.comYou may have noticed that the Teach Away website looks a little different these days! Take a few minutes to explore the site, as there are some great new features and pages to make learning about teaching overseas and applying to teach overseas a lot easier!Check out the Teach Away Community page, connecting you with other Teach Away teachers around the world, and read Teach Away Testimonials from Teach Away alumni. Catch up on news stories featuring Teach Away and find some helpful hints in our Tutorials. If you want to learn more about some of our overseas teaching programs, visit our Videos page. We have also changed our teaching jobs page to include filters that will make it even easier to find a teaching job abroad that is suited to your qualifications and interests.We love to provide as many opportunities to connect as we can, so if you have a suggestion for a helpful tool or page, let us know! Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.